Asia Cup winners yet to get plots announced as rewards

Call it Hyderabad blues or what you will but two years after winning the Asia Cup, the India hockey team is waiting for promised land. Meanwhile, another Asia Cup came and went this year and India exited with a whimper.

With fanfare that fetched them more than 15 seconds of fame, Suchir India Developers Pvt. Ltd. announced, on November 28, 2007, that it would gift each squad member 240 square yard plots in a property it is developing in the Ranga Reddy district. The announcement was made on company CEO Dr Y. Kiran Kumar's birthday and allotment letters handed to the players.

Hindustan Times has a copy of an allotment letter which even mentions the survey number of the land with the promise that it would be converted into a gift deed on receipt of the final copy of layout from Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA).

"September 9 was the second anniversary of our Asia Cup triumph and we don't know whether we will actually get that plot of land and, if yes, when," former India coach Joaquim Carvalho said.

Company CEO Dr Kiran Kumar couldn't be contacted. When HT called his office in Hyderabad, the person taking the call claimed to be his personal assistant and said Kumar wasn't in office. The person, who said his name was Ashok, also said Suchir India is still waiting for approval for from HMDA.

"We have applied for approval and haven't got it yet. Our CEO has made a commitment and we will fulfil it.

“Once we get the approval, we will register the plots in the players' names and give the plots to them,” said Ashok.

Ashok also said he couldn't give a timeframe as to when the process would be completed.